Student Industry Projects
Investigate current technology with talented students, supported by academic supervision.
Are you exploring a new idea, seeking fresh perspectives, or working through a business challenge?
Our Industry Projects connect organisations with talented University of Melbourne students who apply current research, innovative thinking, and practical problem-solving skills to real-world opportunities.
Projects may involve a focused research or development task undertaken by one or two students, or a larger project delivered by a team of five or more. Embedded within students' studies and guided by academic supervisors, projects provide a structured, collaborative experience that delivers value for both partners and students.
Industry Projects are unpaid and typically run over one or two academic semesters.
Benefits for industry partners
Partnering with us delivers more than just project outcomes.
Retain intellectual property (IP)
Keep full ownership of project outcomes to develop, implement, or commercialise solutions.
Grow your future talent pipeline
Engage high-performing students early, build relationships, and identify job-ready graduates before they enter the workforce.
Build your connection with the University
A low-barrier entry point, student projects can lead to research collaboration or government funding.
Gain fresh perspectives and exposure to emerging trends
Engage with students trained in the latest tools and technologies to solve real business challenges.
What types of projects can we work on together?
We offer two distinct project opportunities: Capstone Projects and Research Projects.
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Capstone Projects
Designed to be practical and application-oriented, enabling students to solve real-world problems using the skills and knowledge gained throughout their studies.
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Research Projects
Focused on theoretical exploration, these projects generate new knowledge through original research, guided by an academic supervisor.
Steps to get involved
1. Define your challenge
Identify a real-world problem your organisation is currently facing or expects to face in the near future.
2. Find a project mentor
Nominate someone within your organisation to act as the project mentor. They will meet with students, provide guidance throughout the project, and review the final solution. Meeting frequency will depend on the needs of the project.
3. Contact us with your challenge
Submit a project proposal or contact Professor Leon Sterling with the details of your problem, your mentor’s contact information, and how you would like to work with students. We will review the suitability of the project and provide recommendations if needed.
4. Agreement establishment
To protect the interests of both students and industry, participating organisations are required to sign the University’s Vocational Placement Letter Agreement. This outlines the terms of engagement, including intellectual property arrangements, which assign IP to your organisation.
5. Project delivery
Students work on your challenge over a semester or year, supported by academic staff and your nominated project mentor. This ensures the solution remains aligned with your organisational needs.
Ready to get started?
Submit a project proposal and our team will be in touch to discuss the next steps.
Get in touch to learn more
- Contact Professor Leon Sterling
- Email:
- leonss@unimelb.edu.au
- Phone:
- +61 3 9214 8491